Direct-acting engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I B. 1. HENDERSON. Direct Acting Engine. No. 235,084. Patented Dec. 7,1880.

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B. I. HENDERSON. Dir-ecti-Aoiti ng Engine.

No. 235,084. Patented Dec. 7,1880.

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BENJAMIN I. HENDERSON, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

DIRECT-ACTING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,084, dated December 7, 1880.

Application filed September 4, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN I. HENDER- SON, of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Direct-Acting Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary valves for engines, pumps, meters, 850.; and it consists in a peculiar form of tubular valve and a peculiar arrangement of said valve and its ports with reference to the chambers of the cylinders.

This construction and arrangement I will now proceed to specifically describe, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in Which Figure 1 represents an engine with my invention attached; Fig. 2, a top view of said engine; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section on line a) 00 Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of a valve embodying my invention; Fig; 5, a similar section after the valve has been rotated; Fig. 6, an enlarged cross-section on line a; as, Fig. 4; Fig. 7, an enlarged cross-section on line at m, Fig. 5. Figs. 8,9,10, ll represent modifications.

In these figures similar letters of reference indicate the same parts.

In the drawings, A represents a hollow cylinder or tube, somewhat conical in form, and having chambers to a at its ends, communicating, respectively, with the steam-supply pipe S and the exhaust-pipe E. The tube A rotates within an outer cylinder, B, by means of the arbors d d, which pass through stuffing-boxes of any approved form. The cylinder B is rigidly attached to the jacket 0, which forms a casing to the valve. Ports PP in the jacket communicate with the steam-cylinders D D, placed on each side of the valve. The tube A is divided by a longitudinal partition, 1), extending diagonally across the tube between the chambers to a, so that by means of this partition the exhaust-pipe E and the supply-pipe S are separated from each other. The cylinderB,inclosing the tube A, has longitudinal slots or perforations 0 0 in its upper and under sides, while the tube A has its sides perforated or almost entirely cut away between the chambers a a, as shown in the sectional drawings, Figs. 6 and 7, so that com- (No model.)

munication is afforded in either direction between the ports P P and the interior of the tube A through the slots 0 0 in the cylinder B.

The operation of my valve is as follows: The valve being in position between the steamcylinders D D, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, steam is introduced into the valve through the pipe S, and passes, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 4, through the slot 0 and the ports P into each steam-cylinder, and against the heads of the pistonsff, thus starting the machinery. The valve-tube A now being rotated it assumes the position shown in Fig. 5, and the live steam passes from the pipe S through the slot 0 and the lower ports, P, into the steam-cylinders on the backside of the piston-heads, forcing them to the other end of said cylinders, the exhaust steam passing through the upper ports, P P, of the valve into the tube A and out through the exhaustpipe E. The next revolution 'of the tube A allows the live steam to again enter the steamcylinders through the upper ports, the exhaust-steam now passing out through the lower ports into the exhaust-pipe. This operation being repeated the machinery is kept going, steam being supplied to the cylinders 1) D throughthe upper ports and the lower ports alternately, while the exhaust-steam is made to pass out through the opposite ports. By the peculiar construction of the valve, however, the supply and exhaust pipes are at all times separated by the partition 17.

I prefer to construct the cylinder B in which the tube-A rotates out'of a separate piece of metal, rather than to form it on the material of the jacket 0. By so. doing the cylinder B may be made perfectly true and even throughout, and the slots or perforations 0 o in its wall may be made to exactly coincide with the passages leading to the ports. The cylinder B is, however, to he rigidly attached to the jacket.

In Figs. 8 and 9 is illustrated a cut-off applied to the valve A, Fig. 9 being a longitudinal section of valve removed from the jacket, while Fig. 8 represents a cross section on the line 3 y of Fig. 9.

By employing this form of construction a cut-off may be secured at any desired point in the rotation of the valve, the flange n being formed on one side of the tube A, next to the end communicating with the supply-pipe S, so that when rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 8, a cut-off will ensue while the flange a is passing across the slot 0 in the cylinder B. communication between the supply-pipe and the ports by means of the slot 0 being temporarily closed.

The inner tube,A, and its inclosing-cylinder B, may be somewhat conical in shape, as pre viously described, so that the tube A may be made to fit tightly in the cylinder B at all times; but I do not limit myself to this form alone, as the principle of my invention may be embodied in other formsas, for instance, the modification shown in Figs. 10 and 11, Fig. 10 being a longitudinal and Fig. 11 a cross section. In this modification the tube A and the cylinder B are made of uniform diameter throughout. 'When so made a suitable flexible packing, g g, is introduced between the tube A and the cylinder B, abutting at each end against flanges it formed on the tube and cylinder.

. Valves of the form herein described may be advantageously employed on pumps, meters, orin any situation where steam, water, air, &c., is to he introduced into either end of a cylinder alternately for the purpose of securing movement of a piston.

When used for an engine, by the peculiar form of constructing and dividing the tube A, the supply and exhaust take place through the same ports alternately, and the tube A beb ing rotary, the same results may be obtained with a continuous or reciprocating movement, and the valve may be used with a full head of steam, or a cut-off may be produced at any desired point, as hereinbefore described.

By the novel arrangement of the valve with reference to the steam-cylinders only one valve with one set of upper and one set of lower ports is required for two cylinders, as shown in Figs. 1, f2, and 3, the pistons f being connected with the shaft by the connecting-rods I) attached to the crossheads Z.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination of the supply and exhaust pipes S and E, the tubular valve A, constructed as described, the cylinder B, having slotted sides, the jacket 0, with its ports P P, and the steam-cylinders D D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The tubular valve A, constructed with diagonal longitudinal partition 1) and perforated sides, in combination with cylinders D D, the valve communicating with the cylinders by means of ports arranged as described, so as to alternately supply steam to one side of both pistons and exhaust it from the other side, as set forth.

3. The tubular valve A, constructed as described, in combination with cylinders D, jacket 0, and ports 0 0 and P P, arranged to operate as set forth.

4:. The combination of tubular valve A, constructed as described, the cylinders D D, ports 0 0 P P, pistons ff, and means as set forth for connecting the pistons with the shaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 28th day of August, A. D. 1880.

BENJAMIN I. HENDERSON.

Witnesses EDWIN BASSETT, H. G. WADLIN. 

